Wolfpack set to pounce on Cardinal

Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - The 25th-ranked NC State Wolfpack have a tough
test on Tuesday when they welcome the Stanford Cardinal to PNC Arena for a
non-conference tilt.

NC State returned to action after a week off on Saturday to down Norfolk State
by 22 points at home. The Wolfpack's victory was their third in a row since
dropping a seven-point decision to Michigan on the road. Coach Mark
Gottfried's team, which is now 7-2, was ranked sixth in Division I to start
the season before experiencing a 20-point setback to Oklahoma State in the
Puerto Rico Tipoff. NC State is producing 78.4 ppg on 52.7 percent shooting
from the floor while limiting opponents to a .397 field goal percentage and
68.3 ppg.

Gottfried's squad has a chance to make a statement in this one as Stanford is
entering with some momentum after its 75-52 rout of UC Davis on Saturday. The
victory was the Cardinal's third in a row which improved their record to 7-3.
Coach Johnny Dawkins has led Stanford to a dismal 3-9 record against top-25
opponents during his tenure, including an eight-point loss to Missouri earlier
this season in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Cardinal are outscoring their
opposition by average margin of 8.7 points per contest.

In the only previous meeting, Stanford clipped NC State 76-72 last December at
Maples Pavilion.

Although the Wolfpack were very impressive near the conclusion of their
2011-12 season, they may do even more damage in March this season due to the
freshmen duo of forward T.J. Warren and guard Rodney Purvis. Warren netted 21
points off the bench his last time out while Purvis chipped in 10 points and
four assists. Senior forward Richard Howell stood out as well with 12 points
and 19 rebounds. Point guard Lorenzo Brown also filled up the stat sheet with
16 points, seven assists, and four steals. Warren is leading NC State in
scoring with 14.6 points per outing and Howell is adding 14.1 ppg and is
ranked fourth in the ACC with an average of 9.6 boards. C.J. Leslie (12.9 ppg,
7.7 rpg) is one of the most explosive players in the NCAA and can be an x-
factor in big games.

Leslie will be needed as NC State will have to find a way to battle Stanford's
forward duo of Josh Huestis and Dwight Powell on the interior. The 6-10, 235-
pound Powell is leading the team with 14.8 ppg and Huestis is grabbing 8.2
rebounds per contest. The duo combined for 34 points and 16 rebounds in the
Cardinal's win over UC Davis. Stanford held a 45-30 edge in the rebounding
battle to overcome its poor 37.3 percent shooting from the field including its
7-of-29 mark from beyond the arc. The Cardinal have really relied on stingy
defensive play this season, as there has been little to no consistency at the
offensive end. The team is averaging a modest 69.9 ppg, while shooting a
miserable .398 from the floor, a number severely hampered by a .260 effort
from behind the arc. Point guard Chasson Randle is the only other double-digit
scoring threat on the roster at 14.4 ppg, but he does so shooting a mere .358
from the floor.